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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29090424">Homebound: Revised</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Changamire/pseuds/The_Changamire'>The_Changamire</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>DARLING In The FRANXX (Anime)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, F/F, F/M, Post-Canon, Post-Canon Fix-It, Revised Version</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-05-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 12:06:53</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>11,348</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29090424</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Changamire/pseuds/The_Changamire</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>By means unknown to them, Hiro, Zero Two, and the Klaxosaur Princess are granted another chance at life, and the three set out to mend their broken promises.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>9'alpha/9'zeta (DARLING In The FRANXX), Goro | 056/Ichigo | 015, Hiro | 016/Zero Two | 002, Ikuno | 196/Naomi | 703, Kokoro | 556/Mitsuru | 326, Miku | 390/Zorome | 666</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>31</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. In Between</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>"We'll... probably fade soon, huh?"</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>"...Yeah."</em>
</p><p> </p><p>The two now-Klaxo Sapiens were bathed in light, and both could feel their consciousness fading.</p><p> </p><p>They were at peace with that, though.</p><p> </p><p>They had done what they needed to do.</p><p> </p><p>The two nuzzled their horns against each other and closed their eyes, waiting for the inevitable fade in consciousness to encroach upon them, and that it did.</p><p> </p><p>...</p><p> </p><p>Yet, the fade it promised did not come, and there they remained.</p><p> </p><p>The feeling seemed to recede, and with it, the nothingness.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>"...Are you still here, darling?"</em>
</p><p> </p><p>Zero Two's hesitant voice convinced Hiro to open his eyes, and upon seeing that nothing had changed, pressed a reassuring kiss to her lips. <em>"Yeah, Zero Two, I'm still here. We both are."</em> But why was that? Shouldn't they both be dead?</p><p> </p><p>Hiro's partner shuddered, and he pressed himself closer to her to help calm both her nerves and his, though it seemed to work to little effect, judging by his own rising fear and Zero Two's trembling.. <em>"Did we do something wrong? Shouldn't we be... dead, by now? Why are we still..."</em> Zero Two's somewhat panicked questions alarmed Hiro, and his eyes began to dart about, seeking an exit to wherever they were, only growing more frightened as he found none. <em>"I-- I don't know. Did we-- did we </em>fail<em>?"</em> Was this some elaborate prison by the enemy, to trick them into believing themselves victorious? One last thing to trap them in their hubris of their final success?</p><p> </p><p>Trapped. In the end, they were kids once again, trapped in a bubble with no way out. No way to see their friends, or family. Trapped. At the very least, they had each other, but... to spend an eternity locked in a prison with no door?</p><p> </p><p>That was a life they had already lived through. Must they endure that in death as well?</p><p> </p><p>Zero Two's breath was erratic as she clung to him, shaking. <em>"Trapped, trapped, trapped again,"</em> she whispered hoarsely. <em>"Darling, what did we do wrong?"</em></p><p> </p><p>Hiro shook, looked at Zero Two's face, whose expression was one of frightened confusion, then looked away.</p><p> </p><p>He had no answer.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>"I-- I don't..."</em>
</p><p> </p><p>Then Zero Two pulled back for a moment, panic reverting to confused suspicion as she spied someone behind him, and her palms curled into fists. When she spoke next, Hiro's blood ran cold.</p><p> </p><p>"<em>...We're not alone in here, darling."</em></p><p> </p><p>Hiro whirled around, claws at the ready and fangs bared, because who else could be within this void but their enemy? The sentients of VIRM had no physical body, and it was very much possible that they had followed them within this void, to take away all that made them who they were.</p><p> </p><p>Only, the person on the horizon was no purple star, no malevolent deity.</p><p> </p><p>It was a girl with long, white hair, blue skin, and a horn protruding from her bangs.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>"...Princess?"</em>
</p><p> </p><p>The girl lifted an arm and gave a muted wave.</p><p> </p><p><em>"I did not think you would give up your lives so easily, human."</em> The Klaxosaur Princess spoke as she strode (as well as one could stride in the void between life and death, there was no floor to stride on) towards the duo, stopping about an arms length from them. <em>"Yet, here you both are, awaiting death. Do you not have people to return to?"</em></p><p> </p><p><em>"You... How are you here? How are we here, for that matter? Where are we?"</em> Hiro questioned. He had fully expected to be dead, by this point, but now he was speaking to what should be an equally-dead princess.</p><p> </p><p><em>"Darling has a point,"</em> Zero Two narrowed her eyes at the princess. <em>"What are you doing here?"</em> The little she had interacted with the princess hadn't exactly left the best impression on her.</p><p> </p><p>Being thrown out of her FranXX had not improved that impression in the slightest.</p><p> </p><p><em>"I am here,"</em> the princess stated,<em> "because my soul was tied to both of yours. I did give up my life for you two."</em> Pausing and looking around the void, she shrugged. <em>"I am glad to see my sacrifice was not in vain."</em></p><p> </p><p>Zero Two stared. <em>"So, you mean we--"</em></p><p> </p><p><em>"You succeeded,"</em> the princess nodded.<em> "VIRM has been destroyed. Their planet has been obliterated. The motherworld is safe, at last. A thousand grievances have been repaid in full."</em> She smiled. <em>"For that, I thank you. I am glad I trusted you two in this."</em></p><p> </p><p><em>The two partners relaxed, then, tension leaving their bodies. Somehow, they knew the Klaxosaur Princ</em>ess spoke the truth. And since that was the case... There was nothing to worry about then, was there?</p><p> </p><p>They had won. Their friends were safe, though they would never see them again, but...</p><p> </p><p><em>I think... I'm fine with that</em>, they thought in unison. While, yes, they would never have the chance to see the world without the leash of APE holding them back, or enjoy the company of Squad 13 with the constant looming of battles forever cast aside, nor would they have the chance to fulfill their childhood promise of marriage...</p><p> </p><p>Earth was safe. Their friends would be able to live their lives in a way no human, Parasite, Adult, or otherwise, had been able to do in a century.</p><p> </p><p>If they had to die to achieve that, then both Hiro and Zero Two considered it a victory well worth the sacrifice.</p><p> </p><p>At least, in death, they would have each other.</p><p> </p><p>So, the two partners turned to the Klaxosaur Princess in unison, tension gone. <em>"Thanks for telling us, princess,"</em> Hiro smiled, and Zero Two begrudgingly nodded her agreement at that. "<em>You're here to take us to wherever dead people go, right? Let's go. We're ready."</em></p><p> </p><p>And here the Klaxosaur Princess paused.<em> "What made you think that I was here to do that?"</em></p><p> </p><p>Zero Two blinked, then growled. <em>"...So, you just came here to tell us that we won? You going to leave us here?!" </em>The red Klaxo Sapien took an angry step forward, only for the princess shook her head.<em> "No. The opposite.</em></p><p>
  <em>I have come to escort you back to the realms of the living."</em>
</p><p> </p><p>Both Zero Two and Hiro froze.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>"Wait, wha--"</em>
</p><p> </p><p>Without warning, the Klaxosaur Princess' tail split into eight, and her tentacles surged forward, wrapping around the two before they could think of struggling, though they both did so regardless, and the princess sighed.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>"Do not make this harder than this has to be."</em>
</p><p> </p><p>Picking a seemingly random direction (though Zero Two noted that it seemed to shine brighter than the rest of the void), she Klaxo Sapien began to walk, and within moments that could have been seconds, minutes, days, or eve months, all three found themselves before a gate of golden light, and the princess turned back to them at last. <em>"...This is where we part."</em></p><p> </p><p>Uncoiling her tentacles, she gently placed the two pilots before the gate, and immediately, both Klaxo Sapiens felt its pull and their hearts begin to beat once more, and they turned back to glimpse the princess with their rapidly dimming vision. "Wait!" Hiro called, "What about you?!"</p><p> </p><p><em>"I shall remain here,"</em> the princess shrugged nonchalantly. <em>"Until this void collapses, that is. Then I shall join my people in death."</em></p><p> </p><p><em>"But- you'll be trapped for who knows how long!"</em> Zero Two cried out.<em> "This place might be here forever!"</em></p><p> </p><p><em>"Then forever I shall remain,"</em> the princess spoke again, before beginning to turn away. <em>"Do not worry for me. I have lived my life, simple as that. It is your turn, now. Live your lives, both of you. Perhaps you can bring our people back from extinction."</em></p><p> </p><p>Then the Klaxo Sapien princess was gone, vanished into the depths of the void, and Hiro fumbled wildly for the Zero Two's hand as their vision faded. Catching it, he relaxed slightly, pulling her close. <em>"Don't let me go, Zero Two."</em></p><p> </p><p>He felt the hand in his tighten its grip briefly.<em> "Never, Darling."</em></p><p> </p><p>Then their vision flashed gold, and they were gone.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>The Klaxosaur Princess watched as the only other inhabitants of the void she found herself in vanished before her eyes, and she let her calm façade drop.</p><p> </p><p>And why should she not? There was no one around to witness it, nor would there ever be anyone to. The Next was forever lost to her, that much the princess knew. This void, whatever it was, would not disappear until the last person within it did, and there was no way for her to remove herself in it.</p><p> </p><p>So here she would remain.</p><p> </p><p>If she had not steeled her soul and locked her emotions in a box at the bottom of the sea eons ago the Klaxo Sapien might have cried, though out of sadness or laughter, the princess knew not. <em>How ironic</em>, she thought bitterly. <em>Not even death can alleviate me of my isolation. </em>At least, during the periods between hibernation beneath the earth and her waking hours throughout the centuries, she had always been able to visit her Klaxosaurs, or inspect the ships, or see to the fortifications of the Gran Crevasse, or direct the slow construction of Her Child.</p><p> </p><p>What could she do here but wallow in her many past failures?</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>"You always look sad when you cry, dear. Chin up."</em>
</p><p> </p><p>The abrupt appearance of an unexpected voice caught the Klaxosaur Princess off-guard, and when she spun around to confront it, claws out and fangs bared--</p><p> </p><p>-then she froze. Her tentacles, poised to strike, dropped, and stared at the figure before her.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>"...Mother?"</em>
</p><p> </p><p>The horned figure bathed in golden light seemed to smile sadly.<em> "Sixty million years is a long time to spend in isolation. I am so sorry that we left you to suffer it alone."</em></p><p> </p><p>...</p><p> </p><p>The princess stared.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>"I... you..."</em>
</p><p> </p><p>How long had it been since she had seen her, the mother that that had bore her?</p><p> </p><p>In truth, the princess had never expected to see her again, not even in death. She had thought her mother's soul had forever been rent from the earth for all time, barred from the Next, doomed to wander the stars in eternal torment. Yet... here her mother stood, though even now, she began to fade, threatening her loss once again.</p><p> </p><p><em>"Long have I waited for this chance, daughter,"</em> her mother smiled.</p><p> </p><p>How was this even possible?! Her mother had been dead for eons!</p><p> </p><p>The princess knew it to be true.</p><p> </p><p>She had seen the corpse burn before her eyes.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>"The chance to make amends."</em>
</p><p> </p><p>Make amends..? What mistakes had her mother ever made, besides--</p><p> </p><p>Then she began to glow a bright gold, brighter and brighter, and in a daze the Klaxosaur Princess reached out for the other woman.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>"W-wait!"</em>
</p><p> </p><p>There was time to shout nothing else, only a plea that would remain unanswered, just as it had all those centuries ago.</p><p> </p><p>Something held her back, however, the same force that had flung the two partners from before out of the void, and the princess could feel the realms of the living calling her, pulling her soul towards it. A chance that she had thought impossible to gain. The Next would be open to her, and her soul would be allowed to carry on in peace.</p><p> </p><p>The Klaxosaur Princess would have taken up the opportunity in an instant had it not required for her mother to stay behind.</p><p> </p><p>She tried, oh, she tried. One foot she set before the other in a near-futile attempt to move forwards, away from the golden gate that even now beckoned for her. One step after the other, each one bringing her closer to the smiling figure.</p><p> </p><p>This was the closest she had been to her mother in eons, and already she was being taken away, just like before.</p><p> </p><p>Closer and closer the princess got. Slowly, but surely, she gained ground, fighting what seemed like the whole world trying to pull her back, stubborn and unrelenting.</p><p> </p><p>So focused on setting the next foot forward the princess was that she did not notice the woman step forward to meet her, not until she was abruptly pulled into a hug, and the princess stilled.</p><p> </p><p>Then the princess cried.</p><p> </p><p>The female's smile brightened as she held the sobbing child in her arms, eyes soft and loving.<em> "Do not cry, dear child. It is unbecoming of the Apalexx."</em></p><p> </p><p>Yet, cry the Klaxosaur Princess did, weeping into the chest of a mother missing for as long as she could remember. It was only when she had ceased, gaining control of her emotions once again, did her mother speak again.</p><p> </p><p><em>"It hurts me to see you like this, but I can't alleviate your pain,</em>" her smiled faded.<em> "What I <strong>can</strong> do, however, is give you this. </em><em>Once last gift to you, my daughter. </em><em>In life I gave myself up for you...</em></p><p>
  <em>...and in death, I so again."</em>
</p><p> </p><p>Then her mother pushed, and the princess tumbled backwards, finally entering the gate, against her will.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>"NO!" Mother!</em>
</p><p> </p><p>There was a flash of light, brighter that even the sun, followed by one last barely-glimpsed smile, and then...</p><p> </p><p>"<em>Live on, daughter."</em></p><p> </p><p>...</p><p> </p><p>The Princess of the Klaxosaurs saw nothing but gold, and remembered nothing.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <em>She was...</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>...drifting?</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>...floating?</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>flying away</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> <strong>Where was she going?</strong> </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Joining with</em>
</p><p> </p><p><em>the </em> <em>souls</em></p><p> </p><p>
  <em>above</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> <strong>They all look familiar.</strong> </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>All the </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>same</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> <strong>They look...</strong> </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Yet all</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>unique</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> <strong>...like...</strong> </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Beyond</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>the</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Void</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> <strong>...me?</strong> </em>
</p><p>
  <em>onwards</em>
</p><p> </p><p><em>they </em> <em>flew</em></p><p> </p><p>
  <em>pawns of the</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>hated stars</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> <strong>Whose memories are these?</strong> </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Some stayed</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>the given</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>path</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em><strong>Enemies?</strong> </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Others made</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>their</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>own</em>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> <strong>A bird?</strong> </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Caw.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> <strong>...Sister?</strong> </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Caw.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>The wings beat.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>The Jian lovers flew--</em>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <em>A N D</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>T H E</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>S T A R S</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>S H O N E</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>G O L D</em>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>She was... floating?</p><p> </p><p>No, she was flying... somewhere?</p><p> </p><p>It was warm. Dark. Cozy. Smelled good-- like a bed long awaited, filled with warm sheets.</p><p> </p><p>She saw several others, all her, all gone in an instant, and just as quickly forgotten, lost amongst the stars.</p><p> </p><p>...</p><p> </p><p>Where was she?</p><p> </p><p><em>Who</em> was she?</p><p> </p><p>She looked to find her other wing gone.</p><p> </p><p><em>...</em>Where was her Darling?</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>"Hello. You seem lost. Do you need help?"</em>
</p><p> </p><p>She turned, and saw... someone? sitting on a bed not to far from where she stood, and she wandered over to it, surveying the person that sat upon it.</p><p> </p><p>He was horned, his skin had a blue-ish hue, and his smile filled with sharp teeth, and there was a single, feathered wing attached to his back, not unlike her own, she noted. She felt as if she should know him.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Darling?</em>
</p><p> </p><p>...Yes, this was the 'darling' she had been seeking. She knew this instinctively, for some reason, that the man(?) before her was indeed her missing wing. She might have mistaken him for someone else had she not notice that he two also only had one wing, just like her.</p><p> </p><p>Odd.</p><p> </p><p>But... that was why she was here, wasn't it?</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>"Are you my Darling?"</em>
</p><p> </p><p>The figure, who had been studying her as she had been him, paused momentarily, before nodding slowly. <em>"I...think so, yeah."</em> Moving to the side, her Darling(?) made room for her on the sheets, and she sat besides him. Suddenly, a smile plastered itself on her face, and she felt her chest warm. <em>"Hello," </em>she greeted, and the Darling gave her a pleasant smile. <em>"Hello,"</em> he greeted back.<em> "What's your name?"</em></p><p> </p><p>She frowned as she delved into the recesses of her mind searching for one, but found no name for herself. <em>"I don't have one."</em></p><p> </p><p>The partner looked thoughtful for a moment. <em>"That's sad.</em>" There was silence for a moment, then he brightened.<em> "...Do you want me to give you one?"</em></p><p>She nodded. <em>"Yes."</em></p><p> </p><p>The silence continued for a moment as the other stared at her, lost in thought, before emerging from his mind with a smile.<em> "I have one."</em> A pause. <em>"What if you don't like it?</em>"</p><p>She smiled wider this time.<em> "I will."</em></p><p> </p><p>She would.</p><p> </p><p>He nodded and shuffled closer, drawing her forehead to his, and their horns rubbed slightly. He opened his mouth and spoke.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Your</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>name</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>is</em>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Zero Two woke up abruptly, eyes slamming open and body jerking upwards, safe in the arms of her Darling who slumbered beside her.</p><p> </p><p>Though, <em>where</em> they slumbered yet remained unknown to her.</p><p> </p><p>She stood and stretched and took in her surroundings. They were in...</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Strelitzia?</em>
</p><p> </p><p>A thousand thoughts raced through her head, and if only she had the time to sort through them, but her partner shifted in his sleep.</p><p> </p><p>"Zero Two..." he murmured, and her Darling reached out sleepily with arms, as if hoping to find her, and the Pistil found herself relaxing.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>...Wherever we are and how we got here... can wait, I think. It doesn't really matter, anyways.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>I'm with Darling.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>That's good enough for me.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>She wasted no time returning into his embrace, snuggling comfortably in his arms, and the two returned to their peaceful sleep, the first of its kind in a long time.</p><p> </p><p>And, on the other side of the cockpit, the Klaxosaur Princess opened her eyes.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This is the revised version of my work on Fanfic.net. And yes, I am Order of Alignment, worry not. This is just an alt.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Returned</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Hiro woke up in the embrace of the person he cared about most in the world.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>Am I dead? </em>He thought. <em>If this is the afterlife, was all that a dream, all that with the princess? </em>It was a dream he wouldn't mind staying in, if that was so. It was not the worst thing in the world, admittedly, being trapped in a sleepy dream wrapped around Zero Two. <em>No, I wouldn't mind at all.</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>"<em>No." </em>a voice in his mind responded. "<em>You are alive, human."</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Princess..?" Hiro craned his head to find the Klaxosaur Princess staring at him, to his mild surprise. She looked no different than the last time he had seen her despite being someone who had just come back from death's door-- she looked better, actually, though Hiro wasn't sure in what aspect-- besides the fact that she now wore an article of clothing, similar to the cloth that Zero Two wore when he first gazed upon her, except it was white in colour. "...I didn't know you had any dresses."</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>"I do not,"</em> the princess answered.<em> "They were lying next to me when I woke.</em> <em>It irritates me that I have to wear human garbs. The craftsmanship is atrocious.</em><em>" </em>She picked at the clothing, a scowl on her face.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Then why are you?" the male Klaxo Sapien inquired.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"<em>Whatever saved us from that void of nothingness, or... <strong>wherever</strong> we were before here, rearranged my body." </em>the princess explained. "<em>Do you recall when I told you how my-"</em> The Klaxosaur Princess paused, then, and her gaze ran up and down both Hiro and Zero Two. "-<strong><em>our </em></strong><em>species lost the ability to procreate?</em>"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Yeah, I think so. Why do you-- <em>oh</em>." Hiro stammered. He got the gist of what she was saying, and he wasn't sure if it was something he should be hearing.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"<em>I now have that ability once again, I think.</em> <em>Hence,"</em> she gestured to herself,<em> "the clothing</em>."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The princess found it mildly amusing that the boy could still turn red in the face despite his body color having changed.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Yet, it also concerned her-- such a blush should be light or dark-blue in hue for a regular Klaxo Sapien, yet it was not. Did that mean their transformations were not complete? For that matter, how was it that they were they Klaxo Sapiens now? Why? Was it the human doctor's doing? She knew not.</p>
<p>(Just another thing to add to the ever-growing 'examine later' list.)</p>
<p> </p>
<p>All three occupants of the FranXX were finally awake, and the trio gazed out out the viewport of the cockpit, which, for some odd reason, seemed larger than it should, comfortably fitting all three of them. The view outside was a bit more gratifying, as all three of them recognized the red planet Mars and the artificial satellite that Strelitzia currently orbited in front of.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And they all most certainly recognized the distant, tiny blue dot in the far distance.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The motherworld. Terra. Earth.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>Home</em>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>"Regardless of what has happened to me, or any of us, those conversations can wait,</em>" the princess announced up. She maintained her gaze on that blue orb she knew was home. She turned to the two lovers. "<em>Perhaps we should be going now? I do believe you two have a promise to keep, do you not? And the sooner we return, the sooner we can go about our lives.</em>"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zero Two turned to her surprise. "How do you-" she started, and the Klaxo Sapien princess eyed her. "<em>My soul was tethered to the both of yours when I gave you control of My Child. I've told you this already, have I not?</em>" the Princess explained.<em> "I saw much of what you saw or thought during your time traveling to VIRM's hiveworld.</em> <em>It helped that I have strong connections to both of you, I think. To her, at least,"</em> her eyes flicked over to Zero Two for a moment, who scowled.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"What connections? You mean because I was made with your blood, right?" Zero Two wondered, and the Klaxosaur Princess scoffed. <em>"Do not ask me of it. I am no scientist. I can barely comprehend it myself</em>." She mumbled something under her breath in a language that neither partners were able to discern, but both got the feeling she was cursing a certain doctor.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Hiro and Zero Two glanced at each other for a moment before shrugging at the futility of it all. Whatever had happened, whether planned by Doctor Frank or not, the Klaxosaur Princess was just as in the dark as they were.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>No point asking pointless questions, then.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zero Two pulled her partner closer and brought her lips to his, kissing him deeply before parting reluctantly. "Let's go home, Darling. I think we've been here long enough, yeah?"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Her Darling smiled. "Yeah. Let's go home, Zero Two."</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>Huffing, the young woman passed the paint bucket down the ladder and into the waiting hands of her partner before clambering down herself, landing lightly on the ground before looking back to marvel at their creation. The others who had helped them in this also stopped their other tasks to take the sight in, and the blue-haired girl smiled, wiping sweat off her forehead. <em>Finally done.</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Her partner walked up besides her, looking just as satisfied as she herself felt as they look at the giant sakura tree before them.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"I think they would like it. They always did like that motif," Ichigo spoke, breaking the comfortable silence between them. "And the tree is perfect for this, I think."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Besides her, Goro nodded, wrapping his arm around his partner, and looked up at the result of a week of the work of a dozen of the the former parasites that had picked up artistic skills since the final battle and contributed to this memorial.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Painted onto the trunk of the tree , was a mural of a blue and red Jian bird, intertwined, majestic in all its glory, taking to to the stars above.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Yeah," the former parasite breathed, smiling. "They would have loved it.</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p>Three years.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It had been three, long years since those their old squadmates had entered the Gate, Ichigo thought. <em>And it's been one year since that light shone on us for three days</em>. <em>God, it's been a long time, hasn't it?</em> One year sounded short, but in reality...</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ichigo sighed. She had long ago come to terms that they weren't coming back, alive, at least, and she, after grieving the loss of her friends, aspired to live on, and spur what was left of humanity and the ex-Parasite Corps to new heights, in honor of the two partners that had never gotten the chance to truly live in the world they had saved, the lives they had deserved to live.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>That said, she wanted that honor to be widespread amongst them. Every parasite that had survived the Battle of the Gran Crevasse and the children who came from cryostasis.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Which is why, when she left her office in the Bird's Nest and headed down to Squad 13's rebuilt Misteltein residence, she called her old squadmates to meet her to explain her idea, and when they arrived and clustered around her in the common area, she broached it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"A festival?" Koroko. "What for? It's not like we need something to cheer us up. The cropfields are functioning well, we haven't had to ration anything since Year 2, and spirits are high. People are happy."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"But still, we're sorely in need of a break, we and the rest of out fellow ex-Parasites," Mitsuru mused, face thoughtful. "And this would be the perfect time to do it. It was around this same time--"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"That light shone for three whole days. A three day break sounds pretty fucking awesome!" Zorome chimed in, and Miku nodded, a rare agreement with her partner. "Yeah, it would! And it'd be the perfect way to... honor Hiro and Zero Two."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Most of the squad lowered the eyes in sadness. Their missing two squadmates were rarely spoken of these days, not since those three days of light and the other former Parasites who had survived the last battle knew better than to ask. They had all seen them leave, and deep down, they knew they weren't coming back. To continue hope would just be setting them up for disappointment later down the line.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Let's do it." Naomi spoke up. "I never got to know Zero Two, but she sounds like a great person, from what you've told me. They deserve at least that much, for what they did for us."</p>
<p>"Yeah! We can do it!" Miku chirped.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"We're right behind you," Ikuno nodded.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Y-yeah!" Futoshi spoke up.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ikuno simply opted to nod her head in agreement.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ichigo looked at Goro, who flashed her a grin, and looked back at the group. "Alright then. Let's do it!"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And just like that, the making of the festival went underway.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Waking Hours</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>"Must you irritate me in this fashion? I have already told you no."</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The Klaxosaur Princess was annoyed.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Since their awakening from... wherever they had been before their revival, several days had passed by in monotony as the three Klaxo Sapiens took turns piloting Strelitzia back home, and during that week, the red one (her... clone? daughter? sister?) had kept pestering the princess with questions about herself, the most recent one being what her name was.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Come on," Zero Two whined. "Tell us, please? It's not like it'll hurt you or anything to tell us!"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"<em><strong>No</strong>. Stop bothering me."</em> the princess' irritated voice replied. She was trying to concentrate, damn it! Did they think that they would be able to fly all the way back to the motherworld in this mecha? She doubted it had the fuel for that, and the Princess definitely knew she did not have the patience to be trapped in such an enclosed space for years on end.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Zero Two…" Hiro chided. "Leave her if she wants to be left alone. If she doesn't want to tell us, then that's her choice, alright?"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Out of the corner of her eye, the Princess could see the red partner huff, but nod. "Fine, fine. But only 'cause you asked me to, Darling," she smiled, leaning into her mate's side.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The princess, while keeping up the pretense that she did not truly care for what they did, still kept them in her peripheral vision. Though it had been just over a week since they had come back from the dead, and little had changed in them physically, she had taken great care in noting any anomalies in the former-hybrids.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Fortunately (or, at least, she assumed it was fortunate) the only things of interest that had occurred to them was when the hues of their skin colors reverted to that of a normal human's complexion for a moment before returning back to that of a Klaxo Sapiens, and had yet since to change again, so she assumed it was permanent. Other than that, the only of physical change to occur was when they chose to polish and whittle down their horns to a more preferable length. The Princess was unsure as to <em>why </em>they would do such a thing, but it was not her place to ask.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A concept that neither of the two partners seemed to grasp, to her irritation.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The Klaxosaur Princess' quiet musings (and her concentration <em>yet again</em>, Meviath be damned) were shattered once more by Hiro, who finally seemed unable to fight the curiosity within him, and spoke to her.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Hey, Princess," Hiro asked. "I know what I said, and yeah, this is kind of hypocritical of me, but it'd be nice to know your name. It would make things a bit easier for all of us, I think."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sighing, the Princess scowled at the question. "<em>Call me by my titles. 'Princess,' or 'My princess' will do fine. If you do not wish to call me such, then simply do not."</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>"You... you <em>do </em>have a name, right?" Hiro asked, and the Klaxosaur Princess nodded slowly. <em>"I do, yes."</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zero Two raised an eyebrow at that. "What is it, then?"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>When the princess stayed silent, he and Zero Two shared concerned looks.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Do you want a give you one?" Hiro asked, more hesitantly. "I'm good at coming up with-"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"<em>No thanks," </em>the Princess interrupted<em>. "I do not need another name, especially not a human one." </em>Then she stood up from where she was sitting besides the pistil terminal and retreated to the back of cockpit where she could escape their curious gazes.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>If not for the fact that she did not want to answer their questions, then for the fact that she simply <em>couldn't</em>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She had lived so long that she had forgotten her own name.</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>The sun was gleaming through the blinds when Nine-Alpha woke up abruptly and unexpectedly.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>That, in of itself, was not an unusual occurrence for him, or most people, for that matter; living beings- at least, the ones that were sentient, tended to wake up, go about their day, and fall asleep at their leisure. That was the norm.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The problem was that Nine-Alpha was no longer a living being.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Or at least, he should not be.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And yet, here he was.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sitting up from where he lay, instantly alert, Nine-Alpha took in the room around him and immediately focused on the assortment of beds all around his, filled with the sleeping members of his squad, all as safe and sound and alive as he was. It was only then that he relaxed, shoulders releasing their tension, and Nine-Alpha lay back down, somehow... content?</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>Well, this is quite odd,</em> the elite thought nonchalantly. <em>I could have sworn I was dead. </em>Honestly, Nine-Alpha was more surprised to see he was still sleepy. Usually, as soon as he opened his eyes, he was out of bed and in uniform as soon as possible to serve the will of Papa and APE.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Yet... he was not sure if he wanted out of his blankets at the moment, and he no longer took orders from Papa.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Strange.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Then the elite shrugged.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>I think I will deal with this m</em><em>ystery problem tomorrow,</em> he thought, the elite's usual proactiveness lost to him. His batchmates were safe and well, and they seemingly were not under threat of any sort of attack, from APE, or the alien invaders, or the Klaxosaurs, whatever had become of them.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>So the elite chose to close his eyes and fall back into a peaceful slumber almost instantly, unaware of the commotion his presence would cause.</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>"Hey, Zero Two?"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Yeah, Darling?"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"...What are we going to do about the Princess? And us?"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They had been putting off this conversation since they woke, and both knew it perfectly well. Neither of them had wanted to be the first to potentially disrupt the peaceful lull that had befall upon them as Strelitzia cut a swath through the stars back home, but as they drew nearer to Earth, so did the conversation.</p>
<p>Zero Two had been just as surprised as Hi</p>
<p>ro had been when they both examined themselves to find they were true Klaxo Sapiens, horns, fangs, and all. Zero Two had been unsure just how to feel about being the antitheses of what she had spent most of her life trying to rid herself of before looking to her Darling, who was prodding at himself with unabated curiosity before turning to her with a smile.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>"Is this what you feel like all the time? It's amazing!"</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zero Two suddenly did not mind the change as much, anymore.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Shaking her head slightly, she brought herself back to the conversation, and she pursed her lips in thought. "I think... we just do what we're doing. Fly home." Zero Two was silent for a moment. "I don't think she'll kill us in our sleep, and we were allies before we flew off after Papa and VIRM... Yeah. Let's just do what we're doing."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"You trust the Princess, Zero Two?" Hiro asked, "despite what she did to you earlier?"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Her eyes widened slightly- she hadn't thought that her Darlin would remember that, but she nodded slowly. "Yeah. I don't know why, but I do.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Hiro nodded then, a small smile on his face. "Then I do too." Then the Klaxo Sapien sat back in his Stamen Seat and reached for the controls. "Let's go then, Zero Two."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zero Two smiled.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Alright, Darling."</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. An Argument</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The former parasites of Squad 13 awoke to the shaking of the ground</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"The hell?" Ichigo groaned, rubbing her eyes as she slipped out of bed. Quickly donning her shoes and a jacket, she rushed out of the room she shared with Goro, who had been playing a late-night game with the other guys, and met up with other Parasites who milled in the hallway with confusion and apprehension, Mitsuru and Kokoro holding Aie protectively in their arms.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It had been a pretty stressful week for Ichigo and the rest of the ex-Parasite administration of a whole since she and Squad 13 had brought forward the idea of a festival in the honor of their saviors. They had been all for it, thankfully, and the preparations had gone underway.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Of course, preparing for such a thing was simpler said than done.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Planning a city-wide festival (because, at this point, their community had grown quite large in the past three years, large enough to consider themselves a city, judging from what they've read) was hard enough, to top off all the work Ichigo had to do already as the technical de-facto leader of the Bird's Nest and the Parasite Corps, besides Nana, Hachi, and the Squad Leaders of the other surviving FranXX Squadrons- only to later find out someone had found the fucking <em>Nines </em>of all people in a med-bay room, even though they had been <em>dead</em> for four years since the Fight for the Gate, and now she had to deal with fucking <em>earthquakes</em>?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>Goddamnit it! What did I do to deserve this?!</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She was interrupted by her communicator, something which she always always kept on her person for emergency and easy contact, buzzed with a call. He checked the caller ID, discovering it was Nana's.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Nana and Hachi, the only people above the age of nineteen left, had become the de-facto pseudo-parents of the ex-Parasite Corps, as well as the head administrators of the Bird's Nest, and since their jobs required so much work, they hardly talked to Squad 13 anymore, though they understood why, especially Ichigo.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"What're you waiting for? Answer the damn call!" Zorome scowled. He hated having his sleep interrupted, and Ichigo did not blame him. <em>What I wouldn't do for my bed and Goro...</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sighing, and feeling a tad bit nervous with the eyes of her friends solely on her, Ichigo flicked the mic on, and spoke. "This is Ichigo. What's up, Nana?"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Ichigo, it's been a while. Good to hear you," came Nana's voice, and Squad 13 subtly relaxed. "We need to speak as soon as possible. Something has come up that requires your attention at that of the other Squad Leaders. Bring the rest of the Squad, if you'd like. I'll see you then."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"What? W-wait! What ha-" The call cut before she could get any cohesive answers, and Ichigo hung her head and groaned as the caller ID disappeared, before turning to her friends. "I guess we should get going, then. It must be pretty important."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"It probably has something to do with the quakes, right?" Miku thought, and Goro shrugged, making his way over to Ichigo. "Probably."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>As if reacting to her query, the ground trembled again, and the squamates felt the groaning of wood as it trembled, and Futoshi chuckled nervously. "It's a good thing we built these places sturdy, huh?"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>There was silence for a moment as they all stood there, then Ichigo abruptly moved, grabbing her partner by the hand and practically striding out of the room. "Well then, top gaping around and lets go!"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>After sharing a bemused look, the others followed.</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>It took them a while to navigate their way through the Parasite houses to get to the Bird's Nest and cross the bridge into the complex, but when they finally arrived, Nana was waiting to usher them to the assembly room, where the other Squad Leaders, and several other Squads, were waiting. After directing Squad 13 to a cluster of seats, Ichigo pressed a kiss to Goro's cheek then moved to join the other administrators, who had gathered around the holosurface and the Head Administrator, who nodded to the blue-haired girl as she sat amongst them. "Sorry for the holdup, it took a while to wake my squad."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Don't worry about, Ichigo," another Squad Leader, Satou spoke. "Anyways, since you're here now, I think it's time for you two," she pointed at Nana and Hachi, "to give us the details of why you called us."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>There was a murmur of assent and agreement at that from the Squad Leaders; nobody enjoyed being woken at this time of the night, and most wanted to get the assembly over and done with so they could return, Ichigo included.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Nana nodded, and spoke as they headed to the center of the building. " I won't sugarcoat it. The sensors are picking up Klaxosaur movement. Multiple targets, it seems."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Silence permeated for a moment before the assembly burst out into noise.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"K-klaxosaurs!" Someone shot from their seat</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"But-they became one with the earth, didn't they?" another questioned. "They couldn't be possibly moving now, could they? At least, not against us!"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Are they the cause of the earthquakes? Do we need to fuel the FranXXs?"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Hachi was quick to step up and confirm the information "Yes. Those earthquakes we've been feeling tonight-that was the Klaxosaur ships taking off, as well as the Klaxosaurs becoming active again, but I do not think the FranXXs will be necessary. They've never disturbed us before now, and we parted on amicable terms."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Then where are the rest heading? Do we need to evacuate the city?" Ichigo glanced at the two head administrators anxiously, plans racing through her mind. If they had to evacuate, leave behind everything they had built up in the last for years... God, where would they even go? The Garden, maybe? As far as she could tell, the facility still existed to the North--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"The sensors show that the land-based Klaxosaurs appear to be heading towards the Gran Crevasse."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The panicked murmurs subsided at that, and they all breathed a collective sight of relief, before Satou spoke again.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"How many are there? How many Klaxosaurs are moving, now?"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And here, the two Heads hesitated, looking at each other for a moment before turning back to them, and Nana spoke.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"...All of them. Every single Klaxosaur on the continent we can detect has begun to move."</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>For some odd reason, it was only now that Zero Two took note of the Klaxosaur Princess' new robe, and for that same odd reason, she was annoyed by it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>Why does she get the fresh, new clothes? This is my FranXX, isn't it?</em> Zero Two seethed, silently, all the more annoyed at the Princess' blank look. She, on the other hand, had been stuck in the same parasite suit since they all had emerged from the Dead Place, or wherever they had come from (which was strange; she wasn't wearing that when she became Apus) and was very much pissed off that whatever had saved them had apparently not deigned to give her, or her Darling, more comfortable clothing.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>"I found it. Do not blame me that you were not awake to claim it."</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Gah. I forgot you could do that."</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>"I cannot read minds- not yours, at least. Though it was not hard to figure out what you were thinking," </em>the princess snarked, and Zero Two snarled.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The princess had traded her white gown for the black, skintight suit pieces that looked identical to the ones she had been wearing before death.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>All in all, she looked about the same when they first met.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Why do you wear it then? You told Darling you don't like it, right?"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The Klaxosaur Princess raised a brow at that. "I have no other pair of clothing, human or otherwise. Do you want your Darling to see me nude? Though..." The princess grimaced, annoyed. The human cloth chaffed her skin, and she very, very much disliked the feeling. Shaking her head, she continued. <em>"Changing would require concentration that could be better served elsewhere."</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>This time, it was Zero Two who raised a brow. "And that <em>elsewhere</em> is..?"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>"How long do you think it will take to get there?"</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The red Klaxo Sapien blinked at the seemingly abrupt change in topic. "...Another week, I think? A week and a half," Zero Two decided, only to stare as the Princess shook her head. "<em>Not even close. Five years at the least, assuming we push this war machine for all its</em> worth."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"<em>What?!</em>" Zero Two shrieked. Five years at the<em> least?!</em> "To hell with that! I don't wanna be stuck in here with you for five years of my life!"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"<em>The feeling is mutual, I assure you,"</em> the princess replied dryly. She suddenly stiffened. "Do me a favor and quiet yourself for a moment.<em>"</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zero Two's eye twitched at the command, but, uncharacteristically of her, she knew, the red Klaxo Sapien heeded the Princess' words, and Zero Two watched with slowly-growing curiosity as said Princess suddenly closed her eyes and did... something.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>On the other side of the cockpit, Zero Two noticed her Darling stir from his (well deserved, in her opinion) rest and sit up from where he lay, yawning as he did. Standing up, he was about to greet her (with what exactly, Zero Two knew not- there was no "good morning" in space) before she silently raised a finger to her lip, shushing him silently before then pointing the princess. Nodding, her Darling silently moved to join Zero Two near the front of the cockpit and observe the blue Klaxo Sapien monarch as she concentrated.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>What is she doing?</em> Zero Two's Darling seemed to ask with his eyes, and she shrugged. <em>I dunno, Darling.</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Finally, she seemed to relax, her eyes filled with satisfaction. "<em>Finally. Our ride will be here within the next few</em> hours." Turning to them, there seemed to be the hint of a smile on her face.<em> "It appears that we will be returning home sooner than expected."</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Both Zero Two and Hiro blinked at the sudden news, and Hiro spoke on his confusion. "What exactly did you do, princess?"</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>"We've come into range of what is left of the FIO- the Fleet-in-Orbit, I mean,"</em> she explained at their confused looks. <em>"The ships within the FIO far outclass this machine in speed as well as several other areas, and the FIO can make its way to our location quickly.</em> <em>I have sent the FIO an order containing our coordinates and a summons, but that was all I could do. We are still too far for me to execute more complex commands."</em> Then the Klaxosaur Princess turned to look directly at the two lovers, an odd look on her face. "...You may be pleased to hear that your human comrades-" and here, her expression darkened for a moment before disappearing, <em>"-on the motherworld are well. They have built a large settlement near what I believe the humans referred to as the Bird's Nest. They seem well."</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Almost in unison, Zero Two and her Darling sighed in relief. She'd had a feeling that everything had turned out okay for their friends and squamates, but there had always been an underlying fear for their fate since their return. Now that they had confirmation, however, the fear disappeared, and Zero Two felt all the lighter for it, and begrudgingly nodded her thanks to her donor/sister/mother. "...Thanks for telling us that, I guess."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>That same odd expression crossed the Princess' face again, and she turned away from the two partners in silence for a moment, before murmuring something that Zero Two nearly did not make out.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>"You need thank me for nothing,</em>" came the murmured reply,<em> "for I have done nothing to deserve it."</em></p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>The entirety of the Klaxosaur Princess referred to as the Fleet-in-Orbit arrived a few hours later, just as promised. As the three Klaxo Sapiens watched the ships approached, Hiro noted the lack of the larger dreadnought-class ships he had seen fighting alongside them at Mars, and he noticed that the Princess noted this as well.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>"It appears that the last battle has taken its toll," </em>she said, almost sadly, and both partners caught her whisper something in a language not known to them, as if bidding something- or someone- a final farewell.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Hiro and his other wing shared a look, before turning back to the task at hand.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>Just another thing to talk about later, at home.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Home.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Gods. They were so, <em>so </em>close now- closer than Hiro ever thought he'd get after they flew through that portal after Papa and VIRM. Earth was just a spaceflight away.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Hiro suddenly felt the heartache of the only planet he had ever called home, and through their bond in the FranXX, he felt the same in Zero Two, who cast back a reassuring presence which allowed him to relax. <em>Soon,</em> he sent back,<em> We'll be home soon.</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>The two (former? former, they no longer worked for APE) Parasites took in the approaching, hulking masses of the FIO as they piloted Strelitzia closer and closer to one of the ships. Though the larger ones remained absent, destroyed or rendered too damaged to return after the battle in space, the Klax ships towered over Strelitzia, something that Hiro found somewhat amusing.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>The last time I saw those ships, I was piloting the largest machine in existence.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>Are you calling me a machine, Darling?</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>Oops.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zero Two giggled.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Silently cutting a swathe through the blackness of space, Hiro and Zero Two guided Strelitzia into the hanger of one of the ships before settling it gently down as the blast doors. Upon the sealing of the doors, the all the Klax ships, excluding two, immediately changed course and headed to the blue planet. The last two continued in the opposite direction towards the Red Planet.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zero Two marveled at the ship as Hiro simply marveled at her curiosity, loving how her eyes seemed to light up at every new thing, before suddenly remembering that his partner had never been in one of these before. An idea sparked in his head, and Hiro turned to the Klaxosaur Princess to voice it. "Do you mind showing her around?" he asked. "I know you two don't exactly like each other, but..."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The Klaxo monarch eyed him for a moment before sighing and nodding minutely. "If it keeps you from pestering me..." Then she turned to Zero Two, jerked her head at the corridor leading to the bridge of the ship. "<em>Come then, child. Your Darling wishes for me to show you around."</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>"<em>Child?</em> I'm almost two heads taller than you!"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"<em>Yet you retain none of those heads' smarts."</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Wha- REALLY?! At least choose a decent insult, washboard!"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>"...What did you call me?"</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Hiro watched the two wander off bickering with merriment in his eyes. If he hadn't known better, he would have sworn they were siblings, arguing with each other just as Miku and Zorome did.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The thought of the two brash partners brought Hiro's mind to thoughts of years long past, and he stopped suddenly basking in the memories. <em>Who would have guessed we'd have come so far? Further than any human has gone before- though, I'm not human now, am I?</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Shaking his head, Hiro turned and walked down another corridor, looking to explore the ship. He had a feeling that there was a conversation that needed to happen between the two female Klaxo Sapiens, and one that he was not needed for.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Whether they realized that or not, Hiro did not know, but he would follow his instincts in this.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Later, he would wish he had not.</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>They had been standing on the bridge for some time now, staring out of the viewport in the direction of Earth, in somewhat uncomfortable silence.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Though, it was not the silence that truly troubled Zero Two, no- it was the thoughts that she had brought to the forfront of her mind because of it, and the subject of those thoughts stood beside her.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Who was she, this Princess of the Klaxosaurs? Was she just a DNA donor? A sister? A mother? Who was the Princess to her? Where had she been all this time?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>So, against her better judgement, Zero Two broke the silence between them.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"...Did you know?"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The Klaxosaur Princess turned to look at Zero Two, her usual blank expression on her face. "Know what?"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zero Two gritted her teeth slightly. <em>Is she joking?</em> "That I... Lived? Existed? Where you aware of me, like you feel your Klaxosaurs?" That last bit had been a guess, but a correct one judging by the way the Princess suddenly focused fully on her. "Did you know about the horned girl tied down to a table? Y'know, before you threw me out of my fucking FranXX?!"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"<em>I was aware, yes."</em> the princess replied nonchalantly.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The way that she acted so uncaring pissed her off. "So you knew what APE-"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"<em>VIRM."</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>"-was doing to me?"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"<em>I had a hunch, yes."</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>"And you let them?!" Zero Two growled.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"<em>Yes. I had little time to devote to penetrating the most protected human base of APE on a hunch. I had Plantations to destroy, campaigns to win. Risking my best soldiers on a whim that I was unsure of in all but the fact that it would cost me dearly was not something I wished to do. Simply put, you were beneath my notice at the time. Not worth the risk."</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>She should have expected something like that, honestly. What had she been thinking? This was the same person that had tried to kill her, had seen her as nothing but a tainted clone, fodder. Zero Two should have seen this coming a mile away.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Why did the dismissal sting so much, then?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>So, Zero Two reverted to what she always did when hurt.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She lashed out.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"If that's how you treated your Darling, I'm not surprised he decided not to stay with you this long."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>There was a frigid stillness as both females digested what exactly Zero Two had said. Zero Two herself had not actually meant to say that, but she held her ground</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>I'm not apologizing.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>But that ground wavered when she met the gaze of the Princess once again, and green eyes met blue.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>For the first time since the Battle for the Gran Crevasse, Zero Two saw fury in the eyes of her mother.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"<em>Repeat. That. Statement."</em> the princess hissed, body language tensed. Zero Two caught sight of the Princess' tail split into eight, though it remained docile at the moment.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>...</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Realistically, she knew she could not take the Princess in a fight. Their short one at the Crevasse proved it, despite the fact that she was injured. Realistically, she knew that provoking the Princess was a stupid idea.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Just like then, however, Zero Two was too angry to care.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"You heard me," she snarled back just as vehemently. "While you were off gallivanting or doing whatever the fuck you were doing, I had to put up with torture! <em>Every single fucking day</em>, over and over, for years! The closest thing I have to a mother, looked on without a care! The only one who gave a shit was taken from me! You act like you care about your species, like your the victim in all this, but really, you don't give a damn, do you!? If you had, you wouldn't have been so stupid as to have given the damn doctor your DNA and allow him to create the best weapon against you-- ME!"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Apparently, that was all the backtalk the princess would take from her, for she took a threatening step forward, a growl on her lips. "<em>Shut up," </em>she snarled, but Zero Two did not comply.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>Fuck no. I'm not done yet.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Prove it then! Would you really let one of your own be tortured for their entire childhood?! Because that's what it seems like to me! If not, then you failed!"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>"Shut </em>
  <strong>
    <em>up</em>
  </strong>
  <em>."</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Again, she ignored it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"You seem to be really good at that, actually- failing, I mean. And when your finally given the chance to avenge them, you go and fail at doing that too!" Zero Two shot the princess a mocking look. "If it wasn't for us, you would have died a f-"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And then the Princess of the Klaxosaurs snapped.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>"<strong>ENOUGH!</strong>"</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The princess' tendrils of blue and black reared, as if angered, and they shot towards the pink-haired girl, quickly ensnaring her and rendering her helpless, giving Zero Two barely enough time to quickly take a breath before the princess wrapped her hands around her neck and began to strangle her. At the same time, unbeknownst to the two of them, something broken between them <em>snapped</em> into place, and the princess began unknowingly flooding their newly-established connection with old memories, thoughts and sights and sounds and smells that belonged to Zero Two but at the same time <em>didn't</em>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She had no time to dwell on them, however.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>...</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And, as Zero Two's breath faded, she saw, for the first time, the world through her mother's eyes.</p>
<p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Revision Finished 1/13/2021</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Remember Me Not</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>Falling.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>She was falling.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Down she plunged, breaking through the same, calm waters of the pond Darling had sought to save her from so long ago, when they had first reunited within the upper levels of Cerasus, both ignorant of what had befallen the other, both lacking in memories. Only, this time, instead of swimming peacefully amongst the fish that had gathered, she truly was drowning- and though she clawed at her throat with all her might, no air burst upwards from her lungs to relieve her from the pain.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>And so she suffocated in silence, falling, falling...</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Yet, she struggled on, continuing in her futile clawing at her throat in an attempt to draw breath, and even as she did so, she called out into the void once more for her Darling.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>If he ever responded, or had even heard, Zero Two did not know, but shout she did, for it was all she could truly do, but, even that took a toll, and eventually, she fell silent once more, for the last time.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>And she continued to fall. Down and down, deeper and deeper into the depths she sank. No longer did she sink in water, however- the consistency had long since changed to something thicker, more viscous, and Zero Two's fall slowed to a crawl, then it stopped altogether.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Then... nothing.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>She still could not breath. Her lungs were on fire, burning with a fury she had only seen once bef-</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>...</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>She... she had seen this before, hadn't she?</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>...</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Was this what the Doctor had meant, way back then, when he had spoken to her of one's life flashing before their eyes as they died? Zero two could see so, so many things from her strife-ridden life- from that first moment of consciousness, her being cold, hurt, frightened, and along, to the day her Darling had opened her cage and set her free for the first time, to the years she had spent serving the Doctor, Papa, and APE in the vague hopes pf turning human and reuniting with her Darling. She remembered they immense joy she had felt when her Darling had come to find her at the Crevasse, the love that had filled her that day. She remembered joining him in combat far above their home, fighting invaders that had never even known before that day yet always had.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>She remembered ramming a warhead in the heart of VIRM's homeworld, and letting herself smile as its detonation encompassed both her and her Darling in a golden light.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>ṡ̵̪̂Ḥ̶̆e̸͇͓͘͠ ̵̬̑R̷̪̿è̶̱̼M̷̨̞̉͑e̸̲͛M̴̟̏b̴̨͓̏̊E̴̫̍́r̷̘̮͂̏E̷̡̾̀d̵̙͝</em>
  </strong>
</p><p> </p><p><strong><em>S̷̜̋h̶͇̔̋e̷̩̓̑</em></strong><em> remembered watching the world around her burn, unable to do anything but watch and weep.</em> <strong>S̷̜̋h̶͇̔̋e̷̩̓̑</strong><em> remembered the smell of her mother's corpse, naught but ashes and charred bones. She recalled the thunderous sounds of VIRM's war machines as they trampled over houses, homes, entire cities and their people. </em><strong>S̷̜̋h̶͇̔̋e̷̩̓̑</strong> <em>heard the sounds of the Klaxosaurs as they rushed to engage the invaders. </em><strong>S̷̜̋h̶͇̔̋e̷̩̓̑</strong><em> remembered the long days that had brought nothing but fighting, death, and more fighting with it.</em></p><p> </p><p>
  <em>The buildings crumbled, metal debris turned to molten slag and ships streaked across the sky, locked in a stalemate that would never end, except it did, and </em>
  <strong>S̷̜̋h̶͇̔̋e̷̩̓̑</strong>
  <em> remembered it all.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>And then she did not.</em>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Zero Two jerked backwards and she was abruptly yanked headfirst back out of the same pond she had fallen into, though when she turned to look at her savior, she wished she had not.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>The blue demon stared at her, hands once more tightening around Zero Two's throat, and in her head, though the entity's lips did not move, the red Klaxo Sapien could hear the wroth girl scream.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>Get out.</strong>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>Get out!</em>
  </strong>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>GET OUT!</em>
  </strong>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Hiro realized something was wrong the moment he felt something on Zero Two's end of their connection fizzle out abruptly, and the blue Klaxo Sapien just as abruptly stopped in his tracks at his love's mental disappearance.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Zero Two? Is everything alright?</em>
</p><p> </p><p>He received no answer, and though that worried him, Hiro had faith that his partner would be able to fight off any threat to her person (she had fought off God-damn <em>aliens</em>, for Papa's sake), though he decided to cut his self-given tour of the ship short and return to her, walking at a slightly hastened stride.</p><p> </p><p>Then he felt her scream, calling for him, just for a movement, before being silenced.</p><p> </p><p>And Hiro ran, moved faster than he ever had before, sprinting down the corridor with a speed he had never known he had possessed. Perhaps it was a side-effect of his transformation, or maybe it was not- Hiro did not know at the moment, nor did he <em>care </em>at the moment. And why should he?</p><p> </p><p>His mate was in danger of dying. Every moment he spent pondering insignificant things, she slunk closer to death.</p><p> </p><p>Unacceptable.</p><p> </p><p>He did not know how he knew this, or why he knew this, or who was attacking Zero Two (though he had a suspicion), but, again, it mattered off.</p><p> </p><p><em>Just a little bit longer, Zero Two</em>, Hiro promised as he raced down the corridors. <em>Wait for me!</em></p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>"The drone should be entering the sight of the Gran Crevasse. Automatic control should be kicking in... now."</p><p> </p><p>The monitor chimed in acknowledgement as said automatic controls activated, and Hachi's announcement was met with nods and murmurs from the Squad Leaders as they one more gathered around the monitor, Ichigo and Goro among them.</p><p> </p><p>The former parasites of Squad 13 had long since retreated back to their beds, save the two leaders of the group, siting tiredness and a lack of motive to listen to the meetings, something both partners could understand. Ichigo herself very much wanted to be back in bed, preferably with Goro snuggled beside her, and her partner agreed. Despite their wants, however, they had stayed. The situation was too serious to be left for tomorrow, so had to be dealt with now in the best way possible.</p><p> </p><p>And that meant surveillance. They couldn't in good conscience send a FranXX towards the Crevasse for various reasons, so a drone would have to do, the group decided.</p><p> </p><p>"At the very least, it'll give us a peace of mind, as well as sorely needed intelligence," one of the Squad Leaders, Asahi, had stated. "At this stage, we can't afford to be left blind to any potential problems. Winter's only five months from now, and crop yields always lower then. The last thing we want is to return to rationing because of some problem we missed."</p><p> </p><p>There was a grumble of agreement at that- everyone in the room remembered the early days of the Birds Nest, when they had all been forced to take the reigns of humanity with little experience. That first year-and-a-half had been hellish, especially at the rate new children were being born. No one had enjoyed the rationing that had followed.</p><p> </p><p>So, the group had agreed to the plan, and the drone was sent towards the Klaxosaurs. Now that said drone had arrived at the Gran Crevasse, every eye in the room was focused on its- so focused that they did not note the sole blonde slipping quietly into the room before approaching them. though the voice of Nine-Alpha quickly brought the ex-parasite-turned administrators back to the reality, and the group swiveled to the elite as he strode towards them, his usual smirk present. "Does anyone care to tell me why the building sounded as if it was trying to tear itself apart?"</p><p> </p><p>"Nine-Alpha." Goro shot a distrusting look at the former-elite.</p><p> </p><p>Of all the Squads of the Birds Nest to react to the sudden reappearance of the Nines, Squad 13 had taken it the worst, collectively. The cup Mitsuru had been holding at the time had shattered in his hand when the news had been broken to them, and Kokoro had to be physically restrained to stop her from marching over to their room and stabbing them with the sharpest thing she could find. Miku had decidedly <em>not</em> been happy with their reappearance, and Zorome along with her. Futoshi was ready to give them a chance, but stood undecided.</p><p> </p><p>Ikuno and Naomi had kept their opinions to their selves, as per usual.</p><p> </p><p><em>God, I wish I'd gone back with them, </em>Ichigo groaned inwardly, before turning to answer the former elite. "The building is fine, Nine-Alpha, she reassured begrudgingly. "It won't be falling on us today. The quakes were caused by the Klaxosaur ships taking off, for some reason or other."</p><p> </p><p>There was silence as the elite digested this, then he shrugged and took one of the empty seats surrounding the monitor and sat down. "If it's the Klaxosaurs, then we should go and kill them, yes?" he asked nonchalantly. "Give me and my squad some FranXXs and that problem will be taken care off before sunrise."</p><p> </p><p>"We're <em>not</em> killing the Klaxosaurs- not without provocation, at least. We were enemies once, before the who VIRM debacle. There's no need to be enemies again." Goro stressed, pinching the bridge of his nose. <em>God, I'm so tired.</em> "Besides, we don't have the numbers to contest them, not in FranXXs, at least".</p><p> </p><p>"Not to mention that most of our FranXX pilots have grown rusty," another Squad Leader piped up. "The last time we used the FranXXs en-masse was when we sent the last scavenging mission and finished construction of the Mistilteinn Town. Besides, most of the Magma weaponry's been converted and pumped back into the ground. We... don't really have anything to fight them with."</p><p> </p><p>Nine-Alpha blinked, then sighed, raising his hands in acquiescence. "Alright, alright, my mistake. If we are not to fight them, then what are we doing about the situation?"</p><p> </p><p>And suddenly they were back to business. Although some eyed the elite with wariness at his sudden change in demeanor, Ichigo and Goro included, they shrugged the awkwardness away. Nine-Alpha was technically a Squad Leader, and therefore had the right to attend this meeting with the rest of the administration. Not to mention, he was one of the more experienced parasites to exist. Like him or not, Nine-Alpha knew what he was doing, and would be a great help to all of them.</p><p> </p><p>So, with that bit of unpleasantness dealt with, the Squad Leaders, including one Nine-Alpha, turned back to the monitor, and began to converse once more.</p><p> </p><hr/><p>Fuck.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Fuck!</em>
</p><p> </p><p>Hiro was no lackwit. He'd always been quick, if not with his body (although that was no longer true now, seeing as he had shed his human limitations) then with his mind. As he raced through the ship, he ran all sorts of scenarios through his head that could have possibly led to this, and there was only one plausible answer as to who was attaching Zero Two that made him both enraged and confused all at once.</p><p> </p><p>The Princess of the Klaxosaurs.</p><p> </p><p><em>But why?</em> he thought to himself. <em>If she wanted us dead, she would have killed us while we slept on Strelitizia, or before we even realized we had Returned. Why wait until now? The Princess isn't stupid- she knows that I'd rather die than side with the person that kills Zero Two, so she isn't doing this to secure me as her partner... no, not that. Then why?</em></p><p> </p><p>The Princess didn't even seem like one who would provoke a fight to the death in a moment's notice, so wh-</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>...</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>FUCK!</em>
</p><p> </p><p>Finally, after what seemed like too long, <em>far</em> too long, Hiro reached the bridge of the ship, the room that held his love, and, to his mild surprise, found that the doors were not even closed.<em> So this wasn't planned.</em></p><p> </p><p>Not even pausing for a moment, the blue Klaxo Sapien burst through the open blastdoors and into the bridge, stopped, and took the situation in a stride.</p><p> </p><p>Zero Two was not moving.</p><p> </p><p>And, oddly enough, neither was the Klaxosaur princess who straddled her, hands over his mate's throat. In fact, both their eyes appeared to be glazed over, and-</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Their horns!</em>
</p><p> </p><p>Their horns were glowing.</p><p> </p><p>Hiro hesitated for only a few seconds before lunging forward, tackling the princess off of Zero Two, breaking... <em>whatever </em>connection or trance the two had been trapped in, before immediately twisting back to his partner, who was frantically inhaling as much air as possible, and Hiro pulled her into a warm embrace. When she did not seem to notice, his heart plummeted. "Please, please tell me I made it in time-"</p><p> </p><p>Then her eyes refocused, and she coughed suddenly, hacking away at the bile in her throat.</p><p> </p><p>"Dah- Darling?" she whispered hoarsely, and Hiro let himself relax for the moment, and tightened the hug.</p><p> </p><p>before turning around to beat the absolute living <em>shit </em>out the princess, because <strong><em>NO ONE</em></strong>  harmed Zero Two for any reason-</p><p> </p><p>Only to find he was staring into eyes filled with more rage he could muster in his lifetime.</p><p> </p><p>At the same time, Zero Two tugged on his shirt and pulled him back. "D-don't, Darling."</p><p> </p><p>And though it confused her, he backed down, helping Zero Two stand from where she had been laying, and, once more to his confusion, she turned towards the Princess.</p><p> </p><p>"I- I didn't meant to-"</p><p> </p><p>The Princess did not let her clone/sister/daughter finish whatever it was she had to say, only shifting her furious eyes to Hiro.</p><p> </p><p>"<em>Take your mate,"</em> she snarled,<em> "and <strong>Get. Out.</strong>"</em></p><p> </p><p>And Hiro did just that.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>A/N: Revision Finished 1/15/2021</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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